Of Myth and Legend
by HarryPottersmystry
Summary: AU PoA. Hermione finds an old tome in the library. No, the book found her. It seemed the founders did more than build a school. "Somehow, somewhere, history must have gone wrong" Join the Trio and the Weasleys as they start to build a separate war faction. One that fights for freedom. Oh, and don't forget Sirius Black. First in the 'Atlantis' series. 'How we met' is now up.
1. The-Book-That-Appeared

**Disclaimer: I'm not JKR. Sadly.**

"This is… giant!" said Hermione, staring at the basilisk corpse in awe.

"It also stinks. Why are we here again?" Ronald Weasley grumbled.

Harry held up a large book. "Because of this Ron"

_It was a few days after the incident in the Chamber. Ron and Harry were packing to go home, Ron excitedly, Harry gloomily. In an effort to distract his friend from the impending weeks with the Dursleys, Ron asked, "Where's Hermione? She can't be in the library at this time!"_

_Before Harry could reply, however, the girl in question came rushing in. "Ron, Harry, you have to look at this!"_

"_What?" asked Harry in confusion. Hermione looked around, and seeing no one around, sat down at the edge of Ron's bed._

"_Madam Pince had to go to the infirmary to give a book to Madame Pomphrey so she left, forgetting that I was in the library. The minute she left, this appeared in front of me!"_

_She placed a large tome in front of them._

"_What do you mean it just… appeared?" asked Ron, aghast._

"_Exactly that. It just turned up in front of me, and then I heard Madame Pince coming back so I just placed it in my bag and ran here"_

_Harry gingerly picked it up and opened it. His green eyes widened. "Whoa. Ron, look at this"_

_Ron moved so he was sitting on Harry's other side and began to read over his shoulder, as did Hermione._

'_Listen to us, the four voices of unity! _

_Learn of the old tales of yore!_

_Of courage, wit, loyalty and cunning,_

_Of sin and betrayal, of pride and prejudice;_

_The fine lines between law and justice, innocence and corruption,_

_Between Light and freedom, oppression and manipulation._

_For a time of great peril shall arrive_

'_A war,' most shall say, 'between light and dark'_

'_A conspiracy, 'less shall believe, 'to obtain power'_

'_A battle,' some shall think, 'carved by fate, and won with love'_

_But heed our plea, these words from the founders four,_

_To those who know, both the price and prize,_

_That comes hand-in-hand with Victory_

_Which is seldom related to peace._

_Find the gems of unity,_

_Rebuild old beliefs, and rise from the ashes!_

_Depend not on authority, but on trust_

_Use the knowledge of books, spells from myths,_

_Find the heirs of the first traits above_

_Unite with friends, allies, shades of grey_

_Form the army of Britannia, lead them with strength!_

_Let the emblem of the Phoenix, the flag of freedom fly free once more!'_

"_What does it mean?" Harry asked, bewildered._

_Hermione took the book from him and frowned at it. "I think it is definitely something involving the Founders. It mentions them"_

"_That is kind of obvious. But what is on the next page?" said Ron, turning the page as he spoke._

_Nothing. The page was blank._

"_This is odd. What do we do now?" asked Ron, frowning, all thoughts of packing and going home forgotten._

"_Maybe… we need to go the chamber!" said Hermione, jumping up._

"_WHAT?" Ron and Harry shouted at the same time. "Why there?"_

"_Like I said before, this… extract mentions 'the founders four'. It makes sense that we might find some clues as to what this has to do with them there!"_

"_But… Slytherin didn't tell anyone about it!"_

_Hermione shook her head, her brows furrowed. "I don't think so. Hogwarts: a History said the wards were tied to all four of them. The castle is also sentient. It would most definitely have informed them of the chamber. So somehow, somewhere, history must have gotten something wrong"_

So this was why they were back in the chamber. Harry frowned at the book. He closed it and as he did, he got a good look at the cover. His eyes narrowed. "Look at this!"

His friends gathered around him. "What is it," asked Ron.

Harry showed them the book cover. It was made of hard black dragon hide. It was lined with a hard metal on which several symbols were inscribed. In the centre was a large diamond shaped pit, ruining the smooth surface of the cover. There were symbols carved in there as well.

"Curiouser and curiouser," murmured Hermione, studying it carefully. "Those symbols look familiar but I can't seem to put a finger on what they are called!"

"I know what those are! They are runes!" Ron said, his blue eyes widening in excitement. "Bill taught me about them. He is a curse breaker so he has to be an expert on them. Pretty tough subject"

Hermione's mouth dropped open. "Of course! That's why it looked familiar! We shall have to research!" Her face dropped abruptly. "But the year is over! What are we going to do?"

Harry snapped his fingers. "I know. Ron you live near a magical village. Take Percy and Ginny into your confidence and go to the library. Take this book with you. Get the twins to cause a distraction or something while you're gone. Hermione, muggles have runes and hieroglyphics as well. I'll get Aunt Petunia to sign a library card for me so I can check in the Little Whinging public library. We can do this."

His friends stared at him in astonishment. They had only seen this side of Harry Potter once, and that was during their first year, when they discovered that Voldemort was after the Philosopher's Stone. Ron snapped out of it first. "Right. So should I keep the book with me then?"

Harry glanced at it. "Yes, I think you should. It's safest with you and you need _something_ to prove what you are saying is true to your siblings".

Ron nodded and tucked the book under his arm as they left.

"You mean to say this book has something like a foretelling in it?" asked Percy slowly, as they sat in a compartment on the journey home. The twins exchanged looks, while Ginny looked warily at the book in Ron's hands.

"We don't really know," said Hermione," But it seems to only be visible to certain people"

"What do you mean?' said Percy, sharply. The Trio exchanged looks before turning back to the older boy.

"Well you see," began Harry. "Last night at the Leaving feast Ron dropped the book and Seamus picked it up before asking why Ron was holding a book of chess strategies while eating"

"I just went along with it and told him I was having a chess match against Dad when I got home and was looking for ideas," said Ron, his ears turning pink.

"I've heard of books charmed to look like that," said Percy, taking the book and turning it over slightly."They work sort of like sneakoscopes. Disapproving or suspicious people can't see it, so in a way it makes you cautious"

"Gred and I have a prank book in our trunk that works that way," agreed Fred.

"But remember, we never said that!" said George, putting his finger to his lips. Ginny snorted and turned back to the group.

"So what's the plan?"

Ron spoke up, his strategic mind spinning with possibilities even as he answered Ginny's question.

"Contact Bill and Charlie tomorrow without mum noticing. Harry can send Hedwig with a letter so we have an excuse. After that, Percy, Ginny and I can head down to the library while the twins… create a distraction. Mum will be too flustered to notice anything wrong about me going as well"

The Weasleys stared at their brother in awe. Ron flushed and Harry just patted him on the shoulder with a smile. "Brilliant Ron!"


	2. Summer Begins

**Disclaimer: I'm not JKR. Sadly.**

Everything went according to plan at the Burrow. At breakfast, a beautiful snowy owl flew in through the window with a very long letter in her claws. Ron immediately excused himself, and walked up to the neat room of Percival Weasley, who had already eaten and opened his room to let his younger siblings in.

They all gathered around Ron as he unfolded and smoothed out the parchment on which the untidy scrawl of Harry Potter was clearly visible. Percy took the letter from him and began to read it out loud after putting up privacy wards.

_Dear Ron, Ginny, Percy, Gred and Forge,_

_Things are going as well as can be expected. Vernon has gone on a long business trip and the house is abnormally quiet. Not that I'm complaining._

_Aunt Petunia and Dudley are acting rather strange though. Dudley, instead of rushing around with his gang of hooligans and beating up ten-year-olds, or watching television and munching junk food the whole day, just stays in his room and had cereal for breakfast! He also kept sending me weird looks. By weird, I mean weird for him. Sort of thoughtful looks really. I didn't know he __could __think. Seems to hurt him._

_Aunt Petunia… well she's acting even stranger. Keeps giving me… well… __concerned __looks, the ones she generally reserves for Dudley when he injures himself. Well, a lot less sappy but still. It's not actually all that new to me- when I was younger and Vernon was out, she would give me eggs and bacon, or bread with cheese and tell me to eat up quickly while doing the chores meant for me. When he came back, she would act as though it never happened and behave harshly again. But whenever she did that I would call her Aunt Tuney. I'm beginning to consider calling her that again, especially after she signed that card. Vernon would have burst a vein._

_On another and hopefully better note, there are lots of books I found on the subject of runes, but most muggles just see them as mythical or supernatural stuff that don't work, but they're there all the same. I will be sending a letter to Hermione as well this morning, so Hedwig will deliver it to her first, before going to you. Just feed her and let her rest for the rest of the day and night and send the letters off with her in the morning. Give the same instructions to your brothers._

_There's another thing I need to know. Can you please tell me everything you've heard of and know from the first wizarding war? It's just… something keeps nagging at me about getting the details but I can't think what. Call it intuition if you would but the feeling is there. _

_Well, Hedwig is getting impatient so I'll end this letter here,_

_All the best, _

_Harry_

Percy frowned while folding up the letter. "So you weren't exaggerating about the 'bars on the windows' thing last year, were you?"

The twins and Ron looked affronted. "Of course we weren't!"

Percy nodded, still frowning. "We'll talk about this later. Fred, George?"

Fred and George looked at each other before nodding and getting up.

George said cheerfully," Well, folks, it's time for the big explosion!"

Fred added," Cover your ears, and scoot!"

They disappeared into their rooms. The other siblings gave each other alarmed looks before hurrying downstairs and informing a suspicious Mrs. Weasley that they were heading to the village library. Before she could question them, however, there was a loud 'BANG' that shook the house.

"What in the name of Merlin? FRED! GEORGE!"

"Now!" whispered Ginny, quickly unlocking the door and slipping out, followed quietly by the others.

* * *

They had been in the library for half an hour, and their table was now full of books that Percy was trying to sort out. Ron yawned.

"I'm hungry"

Percy just nodded. He was surprised it wasn't sooner. He started to sort the books out faster and gestured for his brother and sister to help him, which they did, Ron grumbling under his breath. As they sorted, he found his mind wandering to the possession of his sister by Voldemort weeks ago. Unconsciously, his brows furrowed. _So, this means He's still out there somewhere_, Percy thought. _Mum and Dad were right._ But this fact… it complicated matters a great deal. _There could very well be another war._ Suddenly, that sickening realization came to him, making him draw a sharp breath. Then, his body subconsciously drew itself up. _And we'll fight. We'll proudly be in the middle of it if we have to. For our freedom._ Aloud, he said,"Right, time to go, its lunch time".

Even as Ron grinned happily and Ginny let out a sigh of relief, he thought,_ but then… Lucius Malfoy and other followers of Him are still walking around in broad daylight! And the Ministry is letting them! In spite of them being the corrupt politicians they are! _ His eyes widened slightly and he almost stopped. _That's it! They are manipulating the laws to suit themselves! Heck, the rumors of Fudge being in Malfoy's pocket might even be true! But if things continue the way they are,_ he thought frantically_, then Voldemort will find it even easier to take over the world. So if we fight against Voldemort, we are basically fighting against the Ministry. What we need, _he concluded as he knocked on the back door of the Burrow_, is a powerful politician on our side. One who can change the society. And,_ he thought, as the door opened, _I believe we might just have one. We just haven't found him yet._


	3. The Sorting Hat's Strange Song

**Disclaimer: I'm not JKR. Sadly.**

Harry quickly opened the door to the compartment and ushered the Weasleys and Hermione in. The only person in was a shabby looking man who was apparently fast asleep.

"Who's that," asked Ron, looking at the man warily.

"Professor R. J. Lupin," said both Hermione and Percy at the same time.

"How do you know?" asked Ron, bewildered.

Before Hermione or Percy could open their mouths, Harry said," It's on the suitcase"

Ron's ears turned red. "Oh".

The twins quickly cast a locking charm and a silencing charm on the compartment door before turning back to Harry.

"So-"

"Harrikins"

"How was-"

"Your-"

"Holiday?"

Harry just sighed. "It was… interesting". He then proceeded to tell them all about Sirius Black.

Ginny grimaced. "I'm so sorry, Harry"

Harry smiled at her. "It's okay; it's not your fault a crazy mass murderer is after me!"

No one laughed. Harry hastily changed the subject. "Have you found out what those runes say? I've a bunch of books about them but they're in my trunk, and I really don't want to get them out. Took ages to pack them in as well"

Just as he said that the book vibrated. "What on earth?" said Harry, taking his wand out and pointing it at it."Have you had it checked for dark magic?"

"Yes. Bill sent us a translation of the runes which is in my trunk. He charmed it with a password. He also taught me a basic dark magic detection spell. The thing is clean," replied Percy, carefully taking the book and opening it. He gasped.

"What is it?" asked Hermione.

"There is something else written in here now"

Immediately, everyone rushed to look at the book. Percy was right. The once- blank second page of the book was now filled with writing.

_Lady Hogwarts has had enough,_

_Her walls have endured this scandal far too long_

_The story is coming out,_

_The story that will change all_

_Memories that have been long forgotten,_

_Lives, once a mystery_

_Will now __really__ enter history_

_Shake it they will_

_For that's what she wants to do._

_Listen closely, soon you shall see,_

_The lives of the four will soon be revealed!_

Everyone's eyes, ranging from brown to blue to green, were all as round as galleons as they read it

"The lives of the four! The lives of the founders four! Oh my goodness, it can't be!" Hermione gasped out, summing up the thoughts of everyone. Then, the train stopped.

* * *

**(A/N this is the part the dementors come. There will be a time skip till the great hall)**

* * *

A very disgruntled Harry and an excited Hermione made their way to the Gryffindor table where the others were waiting.

"Hey Harry, Hermione, w-what took you so long?" asked Neville, looking up from his conversation with Ginny.

"Professor McGonagall" was the only answer he got.

The Sorting ceremony began. McGonagall placed the Hat on the three legged stool. That's when everything started to spin out of control.

The Hat shouted out," Today is the day, my friends! A day that the truth will shine out from under the lies, like the sun breaking out through storm clouds!"

Everyone gasped and whispers broke out from all four tables. The Hat started to sing. And what a song it was!

_A thousand years ago,_

_When wars were breaking out,_

_Four fighters stood out,_

_Each separate, yet united_

_Like fire, water, air and earth_

All the Houses looked at each other in shock.

_One was the warrior, the fire_

_A brave, reckless lion,_

The Houses began to murmur, only to be silenced by McGonagall's glare.

_With the gift of battle awen,_

_The greatest strategist that ever lived,_

_His name was Godric Gryffindor!_

More whispers and gasps came, only to be silenced. The Gryffindors were in shock, the Hufflepuffs were whispering wildly, the Ravenclaws and the Slytherins were looking thoughtful.

_She was the air, the lady of the glen,_

_Like an eagle, she soared up high_

The Ravenclaws were practically on the edge of their seats, the rest of the Houses leaning forward, even the Slytherins. This was the first time the Hat described the Founders so avidly.

_Looking for freedom, and knowledge and wit,_

_Her gift of the Sight, was rare and true,_

_She was Rowena Ravenclaw!_

Rowena Ravenclaw was a Seer? The Ravenclaws looked as though someone had wounded their puppies. Except for a little blonde second year who just smiled dreamily.

_She kept them grounded, just like the earth,_

Some of the Hufflepuffs began to hyperventilate.

_Fierce and protective, like a badger_

_She changed her appearance day by day,_

_But her true talents lay in preserving life_

_Her name was Helga Hufflepuff!_

The Slytherins were practically bouncing in their seats, even the normally stoic purebloods. The Gryffindors were leaning forward slightly as well. What would the Hat sing about the 'slimy snake'?

_Cunning, shrewd and loyal to the end,_

The whole Hall was too stunned to speak.

_Just like a snake, whose tongue he spoke_

_Born of the night and bred by the wind_

The whole hall snapped out of its stupor and looked at each other wide-eyed. 'Born of the night and bred by the wind'? What next?

_The son of nature was as smooth as water_

_The Serpent King was Salazar Slytherin!_

Whispers and voices were breaking out. The hat suddenly burst into another verse, effectively silencing their talk.

_Watch out now, for the truth will out,_

_Two sides are looming, Victory's unsure_

_Memories will guide, but not the ones you shall see now,_

_Pay attention for the castle is working!_

Suddenly a fifth table loomed up, filled with food for the not-yet-sorted first years. Then the Hat began to speak once more.

"This fateful night, I will be acting as Lady Hogwarts' voice. She will be flashing memories that the founders weaved into her. There will be white enamel plates appearing in front of you. If you wish to view the lives of these legendary people, please place your palm on it. Do not be frightened by what happens. I will be narrating"

Excited and awed chatter filled all the tables, including the staff table. Dumbledore's eyes were twinkling madly and he was talking very fast to Flitwick, who had nearly fallen off of his chair. McGonagall had sat down on her seat after the Hat spoke and was now conversing rapidly with Snape.

Harry turned back to the Weasleys and Hermione, who were all just sitting there with their mouths open. They looked at each other and nodded, agreeing with the unsaid words. _We really need to return to the chamber._

Dumbledore spoke up. "Well this is truly wonderful! Let's get on with it, shall we?"

The students all nodded, hurriedly placing their palms down on the plates that appeared.

Suddenly, they felt themselves falling into swirling mists. Harry felt as though he had just stepped into the Floo. They landed, hard, onto what felt like ground. But everything looked slightly translucent, reminding Harry of the memory of Riddle. He shivered.

_**The first memories will be their births.  
**_

* * *

**Cliffie! I promise the next chapter will be posted in two days though, so don't you worry. Also, there will be several companion pieces to this story. I'm planning on it being a series called 'Atlantis'. You will understand soon enough. The oneshots that will accompany this series will mostly be from Founders' lives in far more detail. There will probably be four or five books though. Not really set in stone, but I've got a good idea where this is heading. Pairings will probably start in fourth year. They will be H/G, R/Hr, Draco/Astoria, Blaise/ DG, N/LL, RL/NT, SB/OC, Bill/Fleur and mostly canon pairings, basically… So review, no flames please!**


	4. Four births of one Legend

_**April 2**__**nd**__** 956 AD**_

A fireplace crackled in the large room covered in shelves of expensive and old books, as the woman on the exquisite royal blue sofa nursed a small bundle of light blue blankets. The tall man at the doorway came in. He looked over his wife's shoulder and saw what she saw; a pair of intelligent bright blue eyes staring up at him curiously from a pale face framed by curly raven hair.

"What do you want to call her?"

Without a second thought, and not lifting his gaze from the newborn's blue eyes, he answered her.

"Rowena"

_**April 7**__**th**__** 956 AD**_

A single figure came rushing out of the tall manor towards the large crowd below. As soon as they recognized him, they broke out in low whispers. The figure drew himself up proudly, the golden sunlight glinting off of his crimson cloak.

"Rejoice, my men! For yet another lion cub has been born!"

Alan Gryffindor smiled as the crowd broke in cheers. He himself had been cheering as the news of his brother's birth was brought to him. _Yes, _he thought to himself as the memory of the innocent green eyes and wild red hair surfaced, _he shall indeed be the soldier of soldiers, trained by the best._ He was broken out of his thoughts by a united shout from the crowd.

"What is his name?"

He smiled. "Godric. Godric Gryffindor"

_**August 25**__**th**__** 959 AD**_

An abandoned basket. A scream of 'freak!' as the door slammed shut. A pair of frightened amber eyes snapped open as her hair simultaneously turned black. She let out a frightened wail.

A twelve year old, returning to the inn that was her home, turned her head sharply at the heart breaking sound of a baby's desperate cry. She turned around, and without a single thought, ran towards the sound. She stopped short at the sight of the basket full of pink blankets. She approached it warily. The baby's head turned sharply to look at her and she gasped as the little girl's hair turned blonde to match hers, wide amber eyes turning brown as they looked up at her. She looked around, scowling as she recognized the abode of a muggle. "I should have known," she murmured, as she bent to look at the child closer. "But this will not happen again," she vowed as she picked up the basket and ran.

She reached an open meadow. Only then did she relax her pace. She looked down and smiled at the sleeping face of the baby. She looked up as she heard a shout.

"Amanda! There you are!" a brunette her age came running forward. She gasped as her eyes fell on the basket. Grey eyes met hers. "Another one?" She nodded gravely, her eyes darkening. "This cannot go on, Felicity. Too many are being punished for no fault of their own". The girl nodded, her face a mask of seriousness. She looked up abruptly and beckoned to her. "Come, Madame is extremely worried". Amanda smiled softly and followed.

The door flew open and she was suddenly engulfed in a warm hug. "Where were you? I was so worried! I-"she stopped short when she saw the basket. "Oh dear me". She reached down and lifted the little body out of the basket. The sleeping child cuddled into her arms, a single fist closing around her index fingers. She drew in a breath when the child's hair turned a darker blonde in her sleep.

"A metamorphmagus then? No wonder. She'll be a powerful witch, this one". She placed her gently inside a crib next to the warm fire.

"Is that what she is then?," a third voice asked, light blue eyes alight with curiosity as she sat at the table with the two others her age, chestnut curls bouncing.

"Yes, Anna. She's one who can change her appearance at will"

"Ooh, I wish I could do that," said Felicity, wistfully, gazing at the crib.

Amanda looked up from her bread and steak. "What should we call her?"

Madame Hufflepuff looked lovingly at the innocent baby. "Helga. Helga Hufflepuff"

_**March 22**__**nd**__** 960 AD**_

Two identical pairs of keen silver eyes gazed up at him from the crib. The boy's fist closed around his sister's. He cast a tempus charm. Midnight exactly. He looked up sharply out of window as the thunder boomed and lightning streaked across the sky, charring the the tops of the dead trees on the deep green moor. Magic was thick in the air as the rain seemed to swirl around the twins, _his _twins before the wind stopped raging and the babies stared up at him innocently, hands still entwined.

"They're storm-callers," his wife's voice was tired, yet filled with awe and satisfaction. Her silver eyes bore into his blue."Children of nature. Aren't they?"

He looked at the two raven-haired newborns and the lockets he had placed around their necks. Inscribed on the silver between matching emeralds was the phrase _Familia Primum. _"They are".

"Their names?"

He looked at the pair again before looking at her again.

"Salazar. Salazar and Serena Slytherin".


	5. Returning to the Chamber

**I am not JKR. Seriously.**

Harry stared apprehensively at the book. They were all back in Moaning Myrtle's bathroom a few days after the Sorting Hat fiasco. Harry didn't know what to think as memory after memory was shown to them. It was becoming rapidly clear that Slytherin wasn't an evil git as they all thought. They saw a memory of the founders building the Chamber _together_. Carnell the basilisk was there for the protection of the castle. It must have gone insane. Also, they had seen Slytherin jump on top the statue of the man they thought was Slytherin and call him a monkey, to the agreement of his friends.

People had basically been in a daze the next day. The publishers and media were going crazy, the Sirius Black case at the back of the _Prophet_. The Department of Mysteries was especially hectic, trying to figure out how exactly the founders had managed such a feat. They were also, quite understandably, fascinated by the Elemental and nature magics the Slytherin twins and the other founders had had, as well as the twins' bond and storm-caller gifts. The Ministry itself was in chaos, as it had been revealed that the Gaunt family, from which Voldemort's mother came from, was a disgraced branch of his family which had been disowned by him for bowing to a Dark Lord and obsessing over blood purity, meaning Voldemort was _not _the heir of Slytherin.

Not to mention the fact that Salazar Slytherin had a _twin_. And that his mother was a muggleborn, making him a half-blood. And that Hufflepuff was a muggleborn metamorphmagus abandoned at birth by her parents.

And it all seemed to come down to the book. It was the book that warned them about what was going on and Harry had a feeling that there was even more to it than what already met the eye. He didn't really know what to make of it.

Percy and Hermione had nearly hibernated into the library after the fateful 'incident' and attacked the books that Harry had brought on Ancient Runes feverishly. Bill had told them the meanings of the individual Runes but they couldn't seem to put the damn puzzle together. It was frustrating.

He and Ron had both dropped Divination after the first day of Sybil Trelawney predicting Harry's death and if that hadn't sealed it, the suffocating smell of incense and perfume certainly did. Ron had opted for Muggle Studies to go with Care of Magical Creatures and Arithmancy, which seemed to work well with his strategic mind, while Harry took to Ancient Runes, which, as Hermione had said, was fascinating.

Harry was seriously beginning to consider becoming a curse breaker like Bill. It was a hard job, yes, dangerous too, but wasn't becoming an Auror the same? Other than the fact that he was beginning to severely dislike the ministry, corrupt and prejudiced as it was.

For what no one, other than the Weasleys and Hermione, were aware of, was that someone had been _taking his bank statements every month since his twelfth birthday_, when he should have started receiving them. His weeks in Diagon Alley were not wasted. He spent the days getting updated on his financial and social status, wizarding history, and of course, runes. The goblins were tracking down the interceptor.

Which brought them back to the reason they were in the bathroom in the first place. He saw Ginny shiver slightly and grimaced slightly in sympathy before giving her a slight smile which she gave him a grateful look for. Taking a deep breath, he went towards the tap with the snake engravings and said_ ~Open~_

The tunnel appeared. He hissed again _~Stairs~ _just like he had seen Salazar do and sure enough, a winding staircase appeared, covered in slime.

"Eugh," said Hermione, wrinkling her nose while the twins whooped. Ginny took a deep breath while Percy was just gazing at the tunnel-like staircase intently. Ron's face was a mask, no doubt lost in memories as Harry himself was. He shook himself out of it and lit his wand, prepared to go down. Harry did the same. His burning green eyes took on a determined look as he looked at the steps once more. "Let's go".

They had no idea that this one trip would change their lives forever.

**A/N Hey! I know this chapter is rather short, but the next one is going to be abnormally long so... yeah. No, Ginny will not be dating harry until at least fourth year. AT LEAST. And about Sirius... well you will see. About the founders... I'll be posting a separate 'book' on what they saw. And what do you think about the Dursleys? And Dumbledore? Review!**


	6. Realizations: Part 1

**No, I am not JKR**

"So, what do we know so far?" asked Hermione, getting down to business. They had managed to light up and roughly clean out a portion of the Chamber and were now sitting there on chairs around a table, all of which Percy had conjured. The book lay innocently on the wooden table.

Harry pulled out a muggle notebook from his robes and flipped through the pages until he found what he was looking for. It helped a lot when he needed to organize his thoughts, like a journal. He'd found it in a broken drawer in his bedroom. Apparently Dudley kept a pile of stationery there to get out of going to school. Of course, his parents just bought him new ones. "It all started with the book appearing in front of Hermione just before summer. How it appeared, I have no idea. We found that the book was, and still is written in Runes. We got the cover translation, thanks to Bill, and got confirmed that it was made of dragon hide by Charlie. Dragon hide is one of the most impenetrable and magical things you can come across. Runes carved in probably wouldn't rub off. On the first page of the book is a kind of advice, likely from the founders. It gave us a sort of warning didn't it? Before the Sorting hat went crazy? Also, Hogwarts is sentient, and the sorting hat is her 'voice' so to speak".

"Right. And the Ministry's a stupid pile of lies! Most of it anyway," said Ron. Percy looked like he wanted to say something, but then he sighed and nodded. After all, he had come to a similar conclusion during the summer.

"Now, about these gems," Fred put in suddenly. "Do you think they are the ones Slytherin used as catalysts in the schools ward stone?" Everyone thought about it for a minute.

"It does make sense," said Ginny, hesitatingly. "After all, those gems were from their own weapons and jewels and in their House colours, right?"

"Let's sleep on it," George suggested after not getting anywhere with the thread of thought.

"I found out who has been stealing my money," said Harry, suddenly. His lips curled as he spat out," Minister Cornelius Fudge".

Silence. Percy looked as though the world had come crashing down. Ron and Hermione looked in shock and the twins were just gaping at Harry with their mouths open. Ginny, however, was the one who asked," How do you know?"

"A mail redirection ward. Since I have no magical guardian as of now, he threw his weight around a bit and managed it secretly. No, don't ask. It makes my head whirl. Also, as I'm Head of the Most Ancient and Noble House of Potter, effectively making me Lord Potter, I can get him out of office quite easily".

"So then why don't you?" asked Hermione, aghast, wondering why on earth someone would wait so long to get an incompetent idiot out of office if they were able. Harry sighed and shook his head.

"Look, it doesn't work that way. At the moment, as much as I hate to admit it, Fudge is best kept where he is. Let me explain," he lifted his hand when she opened her mouth angrily. "The memories of the Founders' lives have stirred up a storm! The employees are running around like headless chickens! Yes, the Ministry is corrupt, yes I know what to do about it, but this is going to cause a huge political backlash. It'll make things worse. And anyway, who's to say we can't air out a bit more of his dirty laundry to help for when we do kick him out?"

The twins suddenly got an evil glint in their eyes the others knew all too well. "Oh Harrikins!"

"Looks like you found-"

"Your inner prankster!"

Making everyone laugh and Percy's lips twitched. Then Harry grew serious again.

"Guys, now, about Voldemort..."

Hermione stiffened and the others all flinched. Ignoring it, he continued as if he hadn't stopped. "He's going to return again. And we all know it. This means he's going to come after me, and as you are my friends, he's going to try and hurt you to get at me. So we need to train". Harry's eyes fairly gleamed with hope and anticipation as he looked at their shell-shocked faces.

During his 'exile', he had come to several conclusions, the prime of them being this. They could hardly rely on the Defence teachers as they came and went but no one was forbidding them from learning on their own, right?

Percy was the first to recover. He cleared his throat loudly like he always did before saying something important, and said, "I've always had a rather strong faith in the ministry and to be honest I was going to join as an after graduating but this rather puts me off and I must thank you for that Harry. I would most likely have found myself in a rather big pile of hippogriff dung if I hadn't gotten to know this beforehand. Also, I have been reading up on laws this summer, and it's quite clear how You-Know-Who came so close to winning last war. The way the ministry's been treating werewolves and vampires" he shook his head in disgust" no wonder they joined up with Him. He offered them what the ministry refused to".

"And what's that?" asked Hermione.

Percy looked at them all, more serious than they had ever seen him. "Freedom"

He continued. "Freedom to live their lives like normal people, freedom to work where they need to, freedom to obtain whatever they need, freedom to travel and move without worrying about being arrested for being who they are! The ministry is denying them of all these basic rights".

Harry looked up at him suddenly, his eyes lighting up as though he had just answered a question in his mind without meaning to.

"That's it!" he said softly.

"What is it?" asked Ron.

"Freedom," he said before turning to the others. "That's what this whole thing is about is it not? The ministry's corrupt, so look at it this way. Voldemort must have spotted it when he was younger and used it to his advantage by recruiting those bigots and using the whole 'pureblood supremacy' thing to gain power".

"And then he could infiltrate the ministry!" Ron burst out suddenly. "Blimey! It's like a twisted chess game against...well everyone really. A three-way one"

They all gazed at each other, eyes wide. The implications of this...

**Parts one and two were going to be one whole chapter together but ended up too long and screwed up so the next part will be posted later. Not earlier than Sunday though. I have a lot on my schedule (what schedule?). So please, review!**


	7. Realizations:Part 2

**Disclaimer: I am not JKR. If I was, I'd probably be rolling in a shit load of money.**

Hermione Granger had always held authority figures in a rather high esteem. When she was introduced to the wizarding world, she had basically hibernated into her bedroom with a pile of books on wizarding culture and life. However, even after recognizing the prejudices people clearly had against muggleborns and people with 'impure' blood, she'd tried to reason it out and defend them. Now, after having Harry Potter as a surrogate brother for more than two years, her views had been roughly shaken and thrown out of the window. She was most definitely _not_ a dumb witch. After being called 'mudblood' by Draco Malfoy the previous year, her efforts at being the best had redoubled. However, it only seemed to turn the pureblood bigots against her more, probably for having the audacity to be better than them. It was now clear where these views sprouted from. But why had Dumbledore, the 'leader of light' not done anything about it? He had a lot of influence and power; surely he could get people like that thrown into Azkaban without considerable effort? He had managed to get her a _Time Turner _for Merlin's sake! He couldn't _possibly _want to give people like _Lucius Malfoy _a 'second chance' could he? Prevention _was _better than cure after all. Her lips settled into a determined line. She was going to find out what was _really _going on, and nothing short of the Killing Curse would stop her now. She _was_ Hermione Granger after all.

* * *

Ronald Weasley had always been overshadowed by his brothers. Even now, he frequently had bouts of jealousy over Harry's wealth and fame. But over time, he had come to realise how it really must be for Harry, not having a proper childhood, growing up too fast, seeing more than anyone his age should ever have to see. He knew that he would always be a bit insecure, but if nothing else, he was a Weasley, and a Gryffindor, and he would do his best to overcome his weakness and be there for his best mate and his family and Hermione, no matter what. Ron knew that if anything, he was great at strategy. The only person he'd ever lost a game of chess to was his father, and that was before he knew how to play properly. And he knew that he was getting even better thanks to Arithmancy. Three way chess game or not, he _would_ figure out who was playing against who, and he would make sure that his side beat them all.

* * *

Percy Weasley had always known that he was a bit different from his family. While he wouldn't trade them for anything, he knew his serious attitude intimidated Ron a bit, and made Ginny resent him slightly for not being closer to her. He also knew that it was the reason the twins pranked him so much, to get him to loosen up a bit and spend time with them instead of studying and focusing so much on his ambitions. He'd seen the fearful looks his younger siblings had exchanged when they thought he wasn't looking, right after he got his Head Boy badge and it had made him feel rather guilty. He had done his best to not let the position cloud his brain and made a point of spending time with all of them during the summer and helping them in their research as best he could. When in Egypt, he had seen Bill and Charlie observing him and his behaviour closely and towards the end of their vacation, he felt closer to his family than he ever had before. He had seen his parents and older brothers exchange proud and knowing looks, and it made him feel warmer and prouder than he had ever felt, even better than when he had become a prefect and when he got 12 OWLs. He knew that he had made the best decision he ever could have made and he wasn't going to sit back and let his younger siblings fight this war on their own. He would unravel this mess of threads the blood purists had turned the Ministry into, and he would turn it into the ideal Ministry Britain needed: fair and equal. He _would _help make this dream a reality, and he knew that _nothing_ could stop him from getting what he wanted.

* * *

Fred and George Weasley knew that people underestimated them a lot. They thought that they were just a couple of annoying pranksters who spent all their time and money on jokes instead of getting good grades. Their mother knew they were intelligent, it was clear to anyone who really _looked_ that they were very smart and could do a lot if they only put their minds to it. They were planning on opening a joke shop after graduating and the only thing holding them back from starting was the depleted state of their finances. And of course, their mother. But unlike what people thought, they knew when to be serious. This was one of those rare times. What barely anyone knew was that they, like Salazar and Serena Slytherin, had a bond, save it was a lot weaker, but it was _there_ all the same. Their parents knew and so did Bill. This was what made it so easy for them to communicate. Now, they were both thinking just one thing. _We will do all we can to keep our family smiling through it all. _Joke shop or no joke shop, their number one priority was keeping everyone happy.

* * *

Ginevra Weasley had always been the baby of her family. Being the youngest of seven siblings and a girl had always made everyone rather protective of her. She resented it. She knew that she was every bit as fierce and strong as them and it pissed her off that they would always treat her as something rather fragile. She had been sneaking their brooms out of the cupboard since she was a little girl and the only people who knew was her father and Charlie, who had caught her turning loops in the air when she was eight. They'd kept it a secret. But after her first year... she found herself longing for those innocent years of bliss. Those days when her only worries were if she got caught flying or what to wear if the Boy-Who-Lived saw her. The thing was... he _had _seen her. In a nightgown. And she'd put her elbow in the butter dish. The whole lonely year before she left for Hogwarts, she'd been reading all about Harry Potter in Ron's letters, which seemed to be filled with such adventurous escapades with trolls and three- headed dogs that she began wishing more than ever for adventures like that. How she regretted it now! _That book_... it had nearly destroyed her and if there was anything she knew about Voldemort, it was that he wouldn't make just _one_ of those... those _things_. When the war was mentioned, she'd seen the haunted look that passed through her father's blue eyes, the desolate, lifeless look in her mother's brown ones every year on her late brothers' birthdays. It was the same look her own eyes held now. When Ron came home that year, she noticed how similar his eyes looked to her father's when she questioned him about the war. How haunted and misted his blue eyes became when he told her about the moving chess game and the Devil's Snare. When she saw Harry's eyes as they stood in front of the floo that day, she'd seen the same thing in his green eyes. The look of someone who'd seen far too much. She'd seen that in the eyes of the founders and she'd seen the look in Luna's after her mother's death. _No longer, _she vowed to herself,_ no longer will I stand back and listen to stories of your terror Tom Riddle! You will not fool me or anyone else EVER again. I will find those things, Tom, and I will destroy them like Harry did, with the venom of a Basilisk or my own fury._

* * *

Harry Potter knew that he was special. He always had. This was not arrogance or conceit. It just _was_, like blue and yellow made green. Even before Hagrid appeared at midnight on his eleventh birthday, he had always, just, _known_ that there was something different about him. While in his cupboard late at night, when the Dursleys were asleep, he'd just sit on his dirty little cot and _think_. Hope. Wish. _Feel_. At first, the feelings of being separate, _disconnected_ from the Dursleys began from the simple difference in appearance. He looked nothing like Dudley or Aunt Tuney, who he knew were his blood relatives. They had blond hair and watery blue eyes. He had black hair and sparkling green eyes. Then, as he grew up physically, there was that uncanny _instinct_ that he had. The one that told him when to hide and when to run, when to step out and stand up tall. The one that urged him to protect and to attack, to _just plain survive_. Most would have just chalked it up to having a sixth sense, but he knew it wasn't. He often thought it was stranger than the other weird stuff that happened around him. Even after he got to know of the wizarding world and his status, he knew that he was still different. Oh, he may have denied it all he wanted, but subconsciously, he _knew_ that there was _still_ something there that wasn't normal. But after the death of Quirrel at his own hands, he'd embraced it. The difference, the protections of his mother's fierce love, defiance and death flowing through his veins. Throughout the summer after first year, he'd felt even more detached than ever before, and spent the whole summer analysing, prodding and getting frustrated over not finding out what had changed, _snapped_ inside of him. Then when he was looking at the floo, the green colour brought back a memory long suppressed, one that had stolen away his childhood forever. The feeling was fleeting, but he recognised it as what made him feel so different this summer. He'd felt it before, one fateful night at the age of barely fifteen months. _Normal people don't have blood on their hands before they're twelve._ That was the day that he had realized why the feeling of being different was so familiar. And now, after facing the psychopath who was the root cause of all this twice, he knew that it was inevitable that he would face him again sooner or later. _And when that day comes, _He thought viciously_, I will make him pay for screwing up my life._

* * *

None of them had any idea what an impact their silent vows would have on the wizarding world and its prejudiced views. None of them knew, that in another universe, where they had outright refused the aid of the book, they had been obliviated of their memories of ever finding it and ended up being manipulated and squeezed through throes of lies, cutting short the lives of several loved ones and enslaving others. None of them knew that, as they plotted and planned to take on the world, in a room deep inside the Department of Mysteries, a large section of a wall was wiped clean, an invisible hand carving out the past, present and future yet again, even as a small carving of a group of twenty people, laughing and cheering, appeared in a corner of the chamber in which they sat.

* * *

William Weasley wiped the sweat off his forehead as he sat down with a flask of cold lemonade inside the tent that had been his home for almost a year. He loved Egypt. He missed his family, yes, but he would meet them again in a year at the World Cup. Besides he loved his job. No, Bill was not so worried about seeing his family again; it was what he had received before that bothered him.

He looked again at the parchment he held in his hand. The neat, tidy handwriting of his younger brother Percy was clearly visible, in the light blue ink that his siblings only used when it was a very important matter which the whole family had to come together to help with. At the bottom it was signed not only by Percy, but by the others as well. Ron's untidy bright orange scrawl was starkly standing out between Ginny's flowery dark blue script and Percy's formal black print. Their signatures were flanked by the loud red ink that made up the words 'Gred' and 'Forge'. But it was the unfamiliar flowing letters and the small words at the bottom of the letter in dark emerald green and light grey respectively that caught his attention. _Harry Potter. Hermione Granger._

Bill knew that Ron was best friends with the Boy-Who-Lived. He also knew that Ginny had a slight crush on him. The twins had confided in him that they were the ones who had first recognised him on the train while helping him with his trunk. Apparently their mother had helped him onto the platform. Percy described him as a polite, intelligent young man, with a disregard for any sort of rule. His mother had called him 'a dear little boy, but far too skinny'. His father said that he was chock full of 'fascinating muggle facts and habits'. But he had never seen the boy himself. He had even overheard the twins and Ron comparing Charlie's exploits as seeker with Harry's. But it was not these, but a conversation that he and Charlie had with their father when the family won the prize money to come to Egypt.

"_You know, people say that Harry Potter is a hero," his father had paused, gazing out of the tent opening and frowning slightly as he saw the twins, Ron, Ginny and Percy poring over an old tome. He muttered slightly and shook his head, apparently getting sidetracked. "That day after You-Know-Who disappeared, everyone was celebrating. Nearly everyone anyway, but the point is, everyone was focused on the fact that He was gone and was defeated by a fifteen-month-old baby. I think the fact that a small infant had just been orphaned was completely forgotten, except by those who fought alongside the Potters'"._

_Bill and Charlie exchanged looks._

"_I think he remembers it. The way they died I mean. Ron's first letter to us after he went to Hogwarts said that Harry told him that he could remember a flash of green light. I forgot about it afterwards. But then, when we were showing him how to use the floo, the minute it flashed green..."_

_He shook his head and locked his blue eyes with Bill's identical ones._

"_The look in his eyes, son... it's the look you find in the eyes of many retired aurors and war veterans. Not in the eyes of a twelve-year-old. We'd completely forgotten that the colour of the floo was the same colour of the killing curse"._

Bill shook himself out of it. Apparently both Harry and Ron's girl- err- other best friend, the muggleborn; Hermione Granger had been unofficially adopted into the Weasley family. His brows furrowed as they always did when his mind was set on something. It was a look his co-workers both feared and anticipated. He picked up his quill and a sheet of blank parchment and began to write in looping brown letters...

* * *

Charles Weasley narrowed his blue eyes at the letter in his hand. It had been a long day, Norberta had been particularly vicious that day, and all he wanted to do was collapse into bed, and then a fairly large snowy owl had swooped down in all her white glory and, if it wasn't for the fact that she was holding an envelope with light blue ink on it, he'd have hexed the damn bird. As it was, he settled for glaring at her and setting some owl treats and water in front of her, before turning his attention towards the letter. Opening it revealed Percy's neat handwriting.

_Dear Charlie,_

_What we are about to tell you is an utter secret. You must not tell __ANYONE __about this, not even mum and dad. _

_You remember the book we were poring over, don't you? Well, it's not just any book. It somehow transferred itself in front of Hermione just before summer holidays began. No, it's not full of dark magic, Percy's done a spell. _

_It has a foretelling sort of thing in it. On the first page. Divination by Trelawney is just a load of dragon dung so we have nothing on how it got there. But, back to the point. It sort of told us about the fit Hogwarts was about to throw. I'm sure you've heard about it by now, the media's gone crazy._

_What we're saying is, Charlie, is that there will be a war coming. Soon. And it isn't just between 'Light' and 'Dark'. It's a lot more than that. We need to prepare._

_Reply soon,_

_Percy, Gred, Forge, Ron, Ginny, Harry and Hermione._

_P.S Bill knows._

Charlie slowly leaned back in his chair and pinched the bridge of his nose.

"Holy crap".

And then he started writing out a reply in violet ink.

* * *

**A/N So here's part 2! And to those of you wondering, Charlie didn't know very much about the book. Just that it was something mysterious and magical made of dragon hide. Bill is the curse-breaker after all. Next chapter, the action begins! ^_^ Review!**


	8. Freedom, Prejudice and Grey

**Disclaimer- If I was JKR, I wouldn't be sitting around reading different versions of my own awesome plotline!**

Harry glared at the book in front of him as though the poor thing had done him some personal offense. It had been a trying day, what with Malfoy swaggering all over the place during Potions due to his (exaggerated) arm injury and the bloody boggart that Lupin had taught them about that day. And to add to that, he'd just _had _to have found out today that Sirius freaking Black had betrayed his parents. Why the _hell _hadn't anyone told him? And more importantly, why hadn't he asked?

Harry took off his glasses and rested his forehead against his hand, his eyes closed. The firelight flickered and danced, casting an eerie orange glow on his too-pale face. His eyes snapped open, watching the shadows as they moved behind the flames, contrasting and balancing the light. His brows furrowed as he remembered one of the science lessons at primary school. "_Light only travels in straight lines," _his teacher had said. _"That's the reason shadows are formed, you see. They cannot bend around the objects in their path. So that part is left in darkness. Now, can anyone tell me why it is important that light can't bend?"_

Harry remembered being the one who answered the question. _"Because if it were possible for light to bend, the sun would shine the whole day through. Meaning, there would be no night and no darkness. Nowhere to get away from the light. It would be like the Earth was a giant disco ball. Too hot, too bright and too chaotic to live in. The darkness and shadows balance it out". _He was nine at the time. Not old enough to know where that answer really came out from. Or what it really meant. He had just spoken out of his imagination, picturing how it would be if it were impossible to have a place to hide, or imagining his cupboard was full of light all the time. The thought made him cringe. _Ugh._

But now as he thought about it... the philosophy behind it seemed to describe the previous war perfectly, _and _seemed to support Ron's 'three-way chess game' theory. Light and dark... meaning there had to be something in between, and without that something helping one or the other of them, both sides would be at a stalemate. _Grey_.

The idea made him pause and look towards the direction of the boys' dorm. He shut his book and got up. It was time to wake Ron up. Never mind the fact that it was midnight.

* * *

Ron paused in the middle of his "why the bloody hell did you wake me up" rant to consider what Harry had told him. Then, almost automatically, his hands moved towards his bag, dragging out a bundle of crumpled parchment, bound together roughly to form a sort of ragged notebook, his orange ink bottle and a quill, and opened up the book. Harry could see several diagrams and untidy notes next to them before Ron flipped to an empty page. He drew a wand with the tip glowing in one corner, something vaguely resembling a stone in front of it and then coloured the area beyond the stone to represent the darkness. Then he stopped, his quill hovering unsurely over the area in between. He frowned.

"Hypothetically speaking, the win sort of depends on which side the 'grey' side helps out. Though technically, if they joined a side they wouldn't be 'grey' now, would they?" Ron stopped to chew the edge of his quill and seemed to consider his words carefully before speaking again. "Which means they'd have to either fight on their own, which is suicide, or they'd have to work _with_ the side they choose instead of follow them. But then-"he stopped when he saw the blank look on the raven-haired boy's face. He sighed and said, "Look mate, just go to bed. You look beat. I'll try to figure out which is which and tell you in the morning, ok?"

Harry stifled a yawn and nodded, before bidding the redhead goodnight and going upstairs. It _had_ been a trying day.

* * *

Ron frowned at the notebook in his hands. The pictures he'd drawn were still there. "_It's like a twisted chess game... a three way one". _The words he'd spoken a few days ago echoed through his mind. Except... there weren't just three sides.

He'd fitted every strategy, every theory he could think of to fit the diagram in front of him. He knew that his parents had fought Voldemort's followers, Death Eaters, as they called themselves, along with others all belonging to a group led by Dumbledore. What was it called again? Phoenix?

Hermione was going through all the books she could find on the history of the war as the only thing Binns spoke about was goblin rebellions. But from what she had told him, it appeared as though the... Phoenix group... which wasn't as secret as it was said to be... didn't actually manage to do much. In fact, Hermione had said that it was probably overrated- whatever that meant- because the books were all written by the 'Light Side'. She said that to _really_ come to a conclusion about the sides of the war, she would need to find some data from the 'Dark Side'. This would obviously be extremely difficult, if not impossible. Not that he had said that to her, of course.

'If I was a third person during the war,' Ron wondered, 'What would I think of the Dumbledore group?'

He would probably laugh. The only thing the group seemed to do while fighting was shooting off stunners and body-binds. He wouldn't say use the unforgivables, but really? That was a war against people like Malfoy and Macnair, who sure as hell wouldn't care about 'second bloody chances'. And in any war, you kill, or be killed. The group was good as information gatherers and spies, but not more.

But then the ministry didn't do anything at all did they? All they did was throw death eaters into Azkaban when they _knew_ the dementors were on Voldemort's side. And several other death eaters went free! 'Like Lucius Malfoy,' he thought bitingly.

So the theory that fit, was that the object was the ministry, which the light, or the phoenix group, couldn't 'bend around', so the darkness went scot free. 'But what about the grey? If this is light and dark, then where is grey?'

* * *

Hermione gritted her teeth as she once again gazed at the notebook she held in her hand, illuminated by the light of her wand. The scarlet curtains of her four- poster were all closed around and she had added a silencing charm as well as a notice-me-not for good measure. She had spent the last few hours tossing and turning, and then gave it up as a lost cause. So she did the only thing she could do to occupy her time. She took out the notebook Harry had given her.

There were a lot of things that were confusing her and that she simply couldn't understand. Whatever research she had done on these confusing topics simply confused her more. It appeared as though the line between 'light' and 'dark', once so clear had blurred nearly into non-existence. The questions she had asked herself that day replayed over and over, confusing her and motivating her. _Why hasn't Dumbledore done anything? He has so much influence and power, surely he could do something? _Then she remembered how she had gathered old news reports and books from the restricted section using Harry's invisibility cloak. That brought her mother's words to mind _'... history is written by the victor'_. Except, _who_ was it that had won that Halloween night? It was disturbingly clear that if Harry hadn't somehow defeated Voldemort by the deflected Killing Curse, the war would waged on, and no one would have stopped it. _They could have... but they didn't. _But _why_?

The answer came to her, in the form of another quote, this time by her father, _'If you aren't part of the solution, you're a part of the problem... __you __have to be the change'_.

No one really _bothered_ did they? The Ministry just sat back on its backside and denied everything, while Dumbledore fought, but stuck too much to tickling charms and binding spells. No _action_. _'Dumbledore believes too much in people. He goes on about second chances and people finding out their wrongs and sins themselves, but people just aren't like that. Not most of them. You have to make them acknowledge that they aren't right, that's the first step towards redemption. You can't sit back and wait for others to take action because they won't. You have to give them a motivation. I know that if I hadn't found the book, things would be very different. I wouldn't be researching so hard, for one_.

She cast a tempus charm and frowned. 5 am. Might as well be up. She wasn't getting any sleep anyhow. She put her robes on, slipped on the Time-Turner, picked up her books, and crept out of the dormitory.

* * *

"Are you sure about this, Ronald?" asked Hermione, looking at him piercingly.

Ron cringed a little but held his ground as he replied, "Yes, Hermione. There's nothing else that fits".

It was 6:30 in the morning and Harry had come down yawning to see him and Hermione in a furious debate, or discussion. He had just stood there for a minute or two before announcing his presence, making them both jump violently.

"Blimey, mate, how'd you do that?" asked Ron, sounding as though he was torn between annoyance and admiration. The question, however, brought Harry up short.

"I dunno really," he shrugged as he sat down next to them at the small table in front of the dying fire. "I think I've always been able to do that though. Blend in that is".

Hermione frowned at that, but then her attention was drawn to the books in front of her. She sighed. "We're just so confused".

Harry raised his eyebrows. "Confused about what?"

Ron gestured vaguely at the notebook he had been drawing in that night. "See, mate, what we're thinking is that if there is a 'light' side and a 'dark side', there's got to be something in between". He looked at his friend to see if he was following so far. He was. "And so, if you look at them like colours, as black and white, the colour in the middle would be-"

"Grey," Harry acknowledged, nodding. He was impressed.

"The thing is _who_ is the grey?" cried Hermione, letting out her frustration and pulling at the ends of her curly hair. Harry mentally thanked the silencing charms around them. "Dumbledore is just _so good_ that he can't understand that most people can't and don't change without some motivation, something to fight _for_. Not everyone wants to fight in a war and not get anything in return. He keeps people out of prison without even a warning! _Second chances, _he says_! _That's just going to make them think they can get away with anything!"

"Like Lucius Malfoy," put in Ron, scowling. "And the Order basically fought with stunners! _Stunners_, Harry! All the Death Eaters had to do was revive them and get on with the fight! I think that's why my uncles Gideon and Fabian died!"

Harry was silent for a minute. Then he spoke, slowly, his brows furrowed as if thinking hard. "People keep saying that Dumbledore is the leader of light and so he can't do anything wrong. But Dumbledore _isn't bloody doing anything! _And then everything about light and dark... it doesn't make sense does it? It depends on the way you use magic; Wingardium Leviosa is supposed to be a light spell, but Ron managed to knock out a troll with it! That doesn't make it evil does it? And in those memories, we all _saw_ the four founders using 'dark' spells, but they were saving people's lives with them! Ron, Hermione, this isn't a fight between good and evil. For many people, maybe. But to me, it's like the main problem, the cause of all this is prejudice!"

Ron and Hermione gaped at him, eyes as wide as dinner plates. Then Hermione let out an excited squeak and dragged Ron's notebook towards her. "That's _it_! Don't you _see_? Remember what Percy said. About freedom! This object in between the wand and the... murkiness is prejudice. The murkiness is Voldemort, the death eaters and the blood purists, and the glowing wand represents the people trying to fight them. But no one can reach beyond the prejudice... no one is actually fighting _it_. Except-"she frowned suddenly. "The grey".

That was apparently it for Ron. "The grey? Who is the damn grey? The neutral families? Greengrass and Zabini, perhaps? If not, then who?"

Harry was about to open his mouth when suddenly Hermione burst out softly, "Of course!"

She could hear her father's voice in her head for the second time that day. _You have to be the change... if you aren't part of the solution; you're part of the problem. _"It's got to be us. There's no other way. We know roughly what's going on- we can do this. We just need to tell the rest of your family Ron".

Ron muttered something shocked under his breath while Harry suddenly looked up and said," I'm emancipated, meaning I'm considered a legal adult now. I can perform magic and no one would know. The magic detectors- it's called the Trace, apparently- can't detect magic in a magical household, or a heavily warded place, like Hogwarts or Potter manor. If you can get the floo connected to your house, Hermione, then-"

"Bloody Hell!" said Ron. "We've got a lot to do now, haven't we? And no time!"

A wicked glint suddenly appeared in Hermione's eye. "Actually," she said, holding up a golden chain with a small hourglass on it, "We do".

**Ooh! Looks like someone's getting naughty! There will be an interlude or two in the next chapter, one of which will be very surprising... so get ready! But until then, please review!**


	9. To look from an angle

**Disclaimer: if I were JKR, I wouldn't be freaking out over exams.**

Albus Dumbledore had a huge headache. This wasn't a very rare occurrence as he held several very high positions in the Wizarding World, but the headache was not being caused by that. It was the fiasco with the founders' memories.

There hadn't been anything like this recorded in history. This appeared to be the first time such a thing ever occurred. Except... the timing of it was just perfect. Too perfect. He had been scanning the faces of all the students and staff, and there was no indication that they knew what was happening.

Of course, he was happy about this as it would turn several of the students from the dark and possibly unite them. He had seen the Houses beginning to slowly, but surely extend hands to each other after the whole scenario. But the spells the founders used were troubling. And that they quite often killed during battle, even if it _was_ to protect innocents... he thought that Slytherin took his motto too seriously. He was afraid that the students would be influenced. The dark arts were far too powerful and dangerous to be dabbled in. Look at what happened to Tom Riddle. No, it was far too intoxicating to trust people with. If they became far too powerful, it could prove to be a threat to the Wizarding World. Equality was key after all.

Dumbledore turned his mind back to more pressing matters. Someone appeared to be stealing Harry's bank statements. He had to get to the bottom of this before Harry found out. Though he would be careful to regulate what the boy received, the child deserved some happiness after all, before he died. It was necessary to get the horcrux out of his head in order for Voldemort to die. And the only way was to be killed, ironically by Voldemort himself.

* * *

Draco Malfoy gazed incredulously at the letter in his hand.

_Dear Draco,_

_I hope you are doing fine, and your school work is up to par. There is a package of sweets I am sending to you along with this letter._

_Now, Draco, what I am about to say is not to be mentioned to anyone, even in passing! If your father hears of this..._

_You have undoubtedly heard about the Sirius Black case. He is in fact my cousin. I do not believe he could have done what he was imprisoned for._

_Sirius was always very hot-headed, reckless and very straightforward. He would let no one push him around and always stood up for what he believed in. It was no wonder he became a Gryffindor. When he was sixteen, his parents tried to force him to take the dark mark, and he refused and ran away to the Potters' with nothing but his wand and the clothes on his back._

_My point is, I think he is innocent. As to why I am telling you all this; Draco, you have your whole life ahead of you! Don't waste it by grovelling at the feet of a murderous hypocritical megalomaniac. No matter what your father says, that is all the Dark Lord is and ever will be. Keep this information to yourself for now. I will instruct you further on what to do about this._

_Sirius Black is our last hope. He is now the Head of the most Ancient and Noble House of Black, which carries a lot of sway in our world. Your father will lead us straight into nothing but ruin. There is a lot I cannot put into a letter for security reasons. But please, for Merlin's sake; stay on Harry Potter's good side! Being the godson of Sirius and utterly famous to boot, he could be of great help to us!_

_Your mother,_

_Narcissa_

Draco carefully folded up the letter and placed in his pocket. He had a lot to think about.

* * *

Kreacher moved slowly through the house. In his trembling hands were several vials of potions he had brewed. He went to Master Regulus' room. Quietly pushing open the door, he sidled into the room decorated in green and silver. He didn't look at the rich tapestries or the various trinkets littering the room. No, his eyes were riveted on the pale, almost unmoving figure on the bed.

Regulus Black lay under the dark green covers, just barely alive, and only so due to the quick thinking, devotion and care of his old house elf. The only traces of his handsome youth were his still silky black hair and his aristocratic jaw line.

Kreacher had very little hope of his waking up. After all it had been fourteen years. But now, there was a bit more hope.

Sirius Black had escaped.

Kreacher didn't like him; he _had_ broken his master's heart after all, like the blood traitor he was. But he knew that Sirius was now his other master, as he had never been officially disowned. He also knew that Sirius was possibly the only hope left for his young master. So, he had to wait.

* * *

A large black dog, looking uncannily like a Grim, moved silently through the forest he knew so well. He followed the tracks he and his friends had made so long ago in the dirt. The memories of them playing together under the full moon seemed to be from a different life; a different person.

This dog was no ordinary dog. He was in fact a man, a fugitive, whose name was notoriously well-known in the world he was born into.

The last few days were a messy blur in his mind. Not that he could remember much from the past years either. All he knew were screams and nightmares and pleas for mercy that never came. But one day stood out in his scarred mind. The day Cornelius Fudge visited him and gave him his newspaper.

He remembered the rat. How could he not? It was because of him he had spent so long in that god-forsaken place. When he saw the picture of the rat on the redhead's shoulder, his already fragile mind nearly snapped. Only one thought calmed him down. Harry.

Harry, the reason he had escaped in the first place. Harry, the reason Voldemort was gone. Harry, the reason he was heading to an area that he knew was now infested with Dementors, which were looking for him. Harry, the boy he had vowed to protect, his godson.

He had heard that Remus was teaching at the school this year. He inwardly smiled. Moony (did he even have the right to call him that?) was always very professor-ish. Would he believe him then? Would he believe that Sirius Black, a fugitive with a background as dark as his name, a friend whom he had condemned and cursed, was in fact innocent? It would require further thought.

But for now, his first and foremost duty was to hunt down and eliminate Wormtail from the universe.

* * *

**I'm back! So updates will be a little slow for now because I have exams coming up but not too slow. About once in nine- ten days is all. Now to those of you who reviewed and gave me ideas- thank you very much! You all have been very helpful to me. This chapter was a bit hard to write as my ideas were all over the place, but the next one will (hopefully) be better. I'm having some trouble sticking to the time frame, especially since there will be time travel from the next chapter onwards so I'll have to work on that. Anyway, please rate and review, and i hope you enjoy this chapter! Until next time!**


	10. Attacks, Time-travel and Help

**Disclaimer: I'm too young to be JKR. Besides, I've dark hair!**

Harry considered his options. He had just overheard Dumbledore and Snape have an extremely confusing conversation involving Black and how he got into the castle. He turned over and saw that Ron, Hermione and Percy were all gazing at the starry ceiling, not even close to falling asleep. They looked at him and he shrugged. There were too many people searching the castle for Black, so sneaking out of the Great Hall would be out of question. Percy then shrugged back, turned over and closed his eyes. Harry felt, rather than saw his best friends' eyes on him. He sighed and mouthed to them. "What should we do?"

Hermione frowned and then reaching underneath her pyjamas, she took out the time-turner. Harry and Ron hadn't used it yet, and were waiting for the chance. He saw Ron's eyes widen as he saw the golden chain.

Hermione glanced around and then slowly sat up. Reaching behind her pillow she pulled out her robes and pulled them on over her pyjamas gesturing for Ron and Harry to the same. They hurriedly pulled them on. Harry pulled out his invisibility cloak and looked at Hermione questioningly. She nodded and beckoned them towards the middle of the Hall. Harry placed the invisibility cloak over all three of them while she threw the long chain over their necks and turned the little hourglass four times. Ron mouthed, "How far back are we going?"

Hermione held up four fingers. "Four hours". They disappeared in a flash of gold.

They reappeared in the Great Hall. But it was still night and there were students already sleeping there. Professor McGonagall was patrolling. Hermione put up a silencing charm around them and looked at her best friends.

"Look, the first rule of time-travel is _you can't be seen_. The second rule is that_ we must not change the timeline!_ Awful things happen to people who meddle with time; that's why these time-turners are so restricted".

"How far back can it go anyway?" asked Ron, curiously. Hermione considered it.

"Every time turner varies, but this one can be used only three times in twenty four hours, and can only go back for a maximum of six hours. We're lucky I only used it once to go back two hours".

Harry quickly intervened before Ron could reply. "If we've gone back four hours, then it must be around eleven o'clock right?"

Hermione nodded and pointed towards their younger selves who were just settling back into their sleeping bags after being told off by McGonagall for whispering.

"Bloody hell," muttered Ron, looking unsettled. Harry silently agreed with him. It _was _rather unnerving to see themselves. The very notion sounded absurd. Hermione quickly motioned towards the doors, which were opening to let in Professor Flitwick. They moved out quickly and quietly.

Hermione led them straight to a deserted classroom from which Snape was just exiting, and then quickly cast several complicated charms at the door. When she was done, she collapsed onto a chair and said in a satisfied voice, "They aren't going to check the same room again. We're safe here. You could scream and no one would hear you".

"Well done, Hermione," said Ron, admiringly. Hermione blushed and quickly changed the subject.

"Harry, what are we going to do?"

Harry thought about it. What _were_ they going to do? They had four hours to get back to their sleeping bags. He answered carefully, "I've been thinking... we can't fight on our own right? We need allies and grown-ups. We can plan- but we can't carry them out. And then there's the underage magic law and the fact that we can't actually _push_ for the ministry to change. In the ministry's eyes, we're just third-years. We _are_ just third-years actually... third-years who are a bit more mature than the others, but very few know that".

Ron and Hermione took this in, eyes glazed over in thought. Then Ron spoke. "We need someone _inside_ the ministry to help us. Someone who can go around undetected and find out stuff. Someone who _knows_ ya know?" He turned to Hermione. "Hermione, which department in the ministry is most likely to know about this and can do something about it? The DMLE is corrupt and the others are next to useless in this case"

Hermione's brows furrowed in thought. Then she brightened. "The Department of Mysteries!"

"What?" said both Ron and Harry, gobsmacked.

Hermione carried on excitedly. "The Department of Mysteries! It is a part of the ministry no one really knows about. The people who work there are called Unspeakables because they are not allowed to talk about their work, but rumours say they research and create new spells and things. No one even knows their identities because they always go around in black hooded cloaks and concealment charms. The only one who's known is the Head Unspeakable, Croaker. It's where time-turners are kept as well" she added as an afterthought. Ron and Harry were speechless. Ron finally found his tongue.

"But-but we don't even know if they'll listen! They are so secretive! And creepy too"

"Well, we don't know until we try, do we? And if they're secretive; all the better for us," said Harry, determinedly.

Ron shook his head in bewilderment. Then a thought occurred to him. "What about Sirius Black?"

Harry's eyes darkened and the shadows in the room seemed to increase all of a sudden. "What about him?"

His voice was low, cold and deathly calm, quite unlike his usually clear and slightly melodic tones. His unnaturally pale skin whitened even more at his knuckles. Ron gulped and exchanged a nervous look with Hermione but nevertheless carried on bravely like the Gryffindor he was.

"He's still after you". The words hung in the air that seemed to be growing colder every minute. Hermione suddenly remembered a line from one of her books at home. _The air was heavy with the scent of death. _Harry's lips suddenly pulled into a bitter, mirthless smile.

"Yes," he said simply, still unknowingly speaking in the cold voice his mother's enemies and friends alike had known to fear. "He is". This was said so calmly, in such a matter-of-fact manner that Ron and Hermione couldn't help but flinch. 'That _voice_,' thought Hermione desperately, 'that is not the voice of a thirteen-year-old'. Then, a small part of her interrupted her. 'No,' it said, 'it is the voice of someone who has been hunted for so long it barely makes a difference anymore'.

They sat in silence till it was time to go.

* * *

Ginny sat in the library surrounded by piles and piles of books. She was just barely resisting the urge to pull out her hair, roots and all. Here she was, spending her precious free time when she could be pranking with the twins or flipping through a magazine, searching through the leather-bound, parchment- filled, inanimate _devils_ that Hermione called books for ideas on what the damned little black diary was, and all that the 'books' could tell her was that it was _dark magic_? "Like I didn't know it already," she mumbled, getting a few weird looks. She gave a resigned sigh and dragged another book off the growing pile. Might as well keep looking. It wasn't as if she had anything better to do.

* * *

Harry signed the letter with a flourish before reading it through, with Ron and Hermione looking over his shoulder.

_Ministry of Magic_

_Department of Mysteries_

_Head Unspeakable Croaker_

_Dear Mr. Croaker,_

_You may be surprised at receiving a letter like this, but I assure you this is no joke or prank. Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Harry James Potter, and I am a third year Gryffindor at Hogwarts school of Witchcraft and Wizardry and have recently been emancipated (though no one knows, and I trust you will keep it to yourself). The reason I am contacting you is because my friends and I have found ourselves in a very... unusual situation._

_A few months ago, shortly after the incident at the Chamber of Secrets and just before the traditional Leaving Feast, a tome literally appeared next to my friend Hermione Granger, who was in the library at the time. I cannot include much in this letter for security reasons, but the book was covered in very obscure runes and the cover was made of dragon hide, which as you know is a very magical and hard-wearing material, and was bound with strips of a metal we suspect is platinum, a very rare and expensive metal. _

_My friends Ronald, Frederick, George, Ginevra and Percival Weasley had the book checked by their elder brothers William and Charles (a Gringotts curse-breaker and a dragon-handler respectively) for dark magic when they went to Egypt with their family during the summer and it was confirmed to be clean. However, even they were unable to shed light on the runes engraved on the cover and also on what was written inside._

_Our bewilderment further increased when this term started. You have no doubt heard of the fiasco with the Founders' memories. I cannot reveal much but suffice it to say that we _**_knew_**_. I will let you make your assumptions. _

_We have found ourselves at a standstill in this mystery so far. If you are willing to look further into this matter, please contact me and perhaps we can arrange a meeting of sorts. If not, then with all due respect, I ask you to swear a magical oath to take this to your grave. Please inform me of your decision within the next three days. I once again stress that this is a matter of _**_absolute __secrecy_**_ which could be disastrous if it lands in the wrong hands, so please make sure to destroy this letter after reading it. I thank you for your time._

_Yours sincerely,_

_Harry James Potter_

"So?" asked Harry, triumphantly. "How is it?"

Hermione said excitedly, "It's perfect Harry!"

"Bloody hell, mate, the way you've written it, if he doesn't accept it, Snape's a ballerina!"

"Ron!"

Harry somehow managed to look horrified and disgusted at the same time. "_Urgh_, Ron, I did _not_ need that image!"

Ron himself looked rather revolted at his own words and even Hermione was looking rather green. They had gone back to one hour before lunch, when they knew they're younger selves were in the Great Hall, to send the letter through Hedwig.

Said owl flew into the Gryffindor common room through the open window just as they were going to go to the owlery. "Hedwig," Harry said in relief. They wouldn't have to risk not getting back to the Great Hall in time. "Here, girl, take this to Head Unspeakable Croaker and come straight back. There's no need to wait for a reply, ok?"

Hedwig nipped his white finger affectionately before taking the letter and flying out. The Trio watched her fly away through the window.

"Do you think he'll help us?" asked Ron, watching the white speck grow smaller and smaller.

Harry sighed as Hermione leaned her head on Ron's shoulder. "I hope so, Ron. I hope so".

* * *

**There you go then! A nice long chapter packed with information! My next update will most likely be on Thursday, and that's when things start heating up! So thank you for all those who reviewed, I'm glad you took the time to comment and help me improve. To those who want to know, in the book the conversation between Dumbledore and Snape happens at three in the morning. So if they went back in time four hours, it would 11pm. And what do you think about Draco and Regulus? What should be their part to play in this world? I'm open for ideas, after all, it's not just my story, your reviews and PMs have really helped so if you really want something in this story, then tell me. And Dumbledore isn't evil just misguided. Anyway, till next time, and please review!**


	11. It begins

**I'm not JKR, dammit!**

Harry was brought out of his Runes translations when a loud 'tap-tap-tap' came from the window. Getting up from the comfortable armchair, he crossed the room to let a little brown owl in. It dropped a medium-sized envelope in his hands and then flew out of the window again. Harry absent-mindedly closed it, his eyes still on the envelope in his hands. It looked rather ordinary- could it be what he hoped it was? 'There's only one way to find out,' he thought to himself, turning abruptly on his heel and heading out of the common room, forgetting all about his Runes work.

Ron and Hermione were in the library, where Hermione was reviewing Ron's essay. "It's quite good," he heard her saying he came closer to their table, "but you might want to consider writing more". Whatever Ron was about to say was cut off by Harry's sudden arrival.

"Oh! Harry!" said Hermione, surprised, and then blushed as Madam Pince gave them a disapproving look. Lowering her voice, she said, "What is it?"

Just then, Ron saw the envelope in Harry's hands. "What's that?"

Before Harry could reply, Hermione started gathering her things and said, "Let's go somewhere more private".

She bundled them into the same classroom they had hidden in the first time they used the time-turner, and locked the door with a series of complicated charms that left the boys' heads spinning.

"Now," she said, shoving her wand in her pocket and twirling around to face them, her bushy hair flying. "What is it?"

Harry took out the envelope which he had kept in his pocket. "This," he said simply.

They all just looked at it for a minute. It looked very ordinary. But looks could deceive, and no one knew it better than them.

"Well," said Ron, hesitantly. "Let's see what it is"

Slowly, with bated breath, Harry opened the envelope and took out the slip of parchment in it. Ron and Hermione leaned in excitedly to look at it. Harry unfolded it- and immediately felt rather disappointed.

The parchment was blank. Blank, except for a small wax seal right at the center. But what an extraordinary seal it was!

It looked like the sun, with its large reddish-gold circle and reddish-gold tassels spreading around like flames. At the center, a majestic silver phoenix rose up out of the red and violet fire that encircled it. On its chest, was the rune that Harry immediately recognized as Kenaz; the rune of knowledge, understanding and learning. Below the seal was only one sentence.

_Tap the seal with your wands._

After glancing at the others, and getting a nod from both of them, Harry took his wand out, and then all three of them touched the seal with their wands. They gasped.

The slip of parchment suddenly shivered and then lengthened into a long sheet of parchment covered in small, neat black handwriting. With trembling hands, Harry held up the letter and began to read...

* * *

_A few hours earlier_

Head Unspeakable Croaker was having quite a good day. He had recruited a promising new candidate, been informed of a sizeable donation to the department funds, received intelligence on the Sirius Black case and had had the good fortune to witness Fudge getting completely and utterly dressed down by Amelia Bones, who had apparently received a letter from her niece complaining about how horribly gloomy the dementors made Hogwarts feel. And he had just received an extremely curious letter from someone he had been hoping to meet for quite a long time.

Harry James Potter. The son of Lily Elizabeth 'Liz' Evans-Potter and James Charlus Potter, two of the best agents he'd had the pleasure to recruit. He wondered what made the boy send a letter to him.

He placed the letter down on his desk after reading it twice. Then he got up, and going to a small cabinet, he got out about ten bottles of butterbeer and placed his palm on a small set of runes at the edge of his desk.

Almost immediately, there were three evenly spaced knocks on the door. "Come in!" he called out, and the door opened to reveal five people, all of whom were wearing the black hooded cloaks and emblems that marked them as Unspeakables. At Croaker's beckoning gesture, they filed in and sat down on the chairs he conjured, before taking the butterbeers he offered.

"What is it, Zeus? You never call unless it's urgent," said one of the figures, voice distorted by a voice altering spell.

"I have received a very surprising letter. One that may hold the answers to many of the questions our people have almost given up trying to answer"

Immediately, their attention was almost fully on him. The corner of his lips twitched upwards, unseen due to the charms shrouding his face. He then read out the letter he had received.

"You wish to meet with him?" said one of the cloaked people. The question was more of a rhetorical statement. Croaker shook his head regretfully.

"I will not deny that I wish to meet him, but the fact remains that I have several responsibilities to look after. Tomorrow is a Hogsmeade weekend is it not?"

One of the Unspeakables nodded "I can confirm that".

"Very well then. Adonis?" he held out a small wooden box to the tall cloaked wizard near the door. "I want you to take this to the son of late Unspeakables Raven and Vixen and his friends. Find out their opinions on magic, war, politics, the Ministry and so on. It is possible they are potential candidates. Enlighten them on how we operate and if they want to work with us, or even be trained, we can consider recruiting them. If they don't, make them take a vow or, in the worst-case scenario, obliviate them. Remember, the only ones you are to speak to are Harry Potter, and his best friends Hermione Granger and Ronald Weasley. No one else should have any inkling of this. I will be sending them a letter shortly. Is that clear?"

Adonis took the box offered to him with black gloved hands, and giving a curt nod, left the office, followed by the others.

* * *

Harry Potter didn't think he had ever been more nervous than this, except perhaps at his Sorting. He shifted uncomfortably, sensing Ron and Hermione doing the same. The waiting was not helping their nerves.

They had gone to the Three Broomsticks, and asked for a private room. He thanked the higher powers again that he had had he common sense to ask Aunt 'Tunia to sign the slip before Vernon got back. He couldn't imagine what missing Hogsmeade would be like. He was jerked out of his thoughts as the door slowly opened. He saw his friends stiffen slightly in their seats.

A tall, dark figure stepped soundlessly into the room. He murmured the code they had agreed on. "Libertas". Harry subconsciously relaxed and he reduced the grip on his wand. He studied the man with open curiosity.

He was wearing what ordinary dark blue robes over which he had on a hooded cloak. His face seemed to be shrouded and undistinguishable for some reason. Even his voice sounded muffled, like the radio on a stormy day. 'Probably some charm,' he thought. At the moment, their visitor was waving his wand in complicated motions over the door. When he finished, he slid gracefully into the remaining seat at the small table. Then the meeting began.

It started quite simply, with Hermione handing over the mysterious book and explaining how they got hold of it and what was written in it. They also answered some of the questions the man asked about the book and what was written in it. Then, the meeting took a whole new turn.

"Tell me," the Unspeakable said abruptly. "What do you know about us and our department?"

"Not much," admitted Hermione, looking rather disgruntled. Harry felt his eyes widen as he exchanged a glance with Ron. Hermione Granger not knowing something? "I couldn't find any information in the library".

The Unspeakable merely inclined his hooded head as though he had expected it. "I would have been very surprised if you did, Miss Granger. We are not, as most say, wizarding scientists and researchers. Those are not all we do. You could call us a kind of international magical security service; a magical version of the muggle MI5 and Scotland Yard combined, if you would. The ICW is aware of this. Every country with a magical community has us Unspeakables working to protect them and their towns, villages, et cetera, et cetera. We are not under the British Ministry of Magic, as everyone thinks. We answer to, and only to the ICW. We are almost a separate society. If the Ministry is ever overrun by... undesirable forces, we would do our best to defeat them and perhaps form a sort of interim government till the Ministry is once again secure.

"During the war with Gellert Grindelwald, which coincided with the muggle World War II, the Unspeakables were almost completely decimated. It was so bad, that we haven't yet recovered," the wizard paused to take a sip of butterbeer and observe the reactions of his listeners. They looked shocked and horrified at the same time. Harry finally managed to stammer out, "B-but why? It's been half a century since the Grindelwald war ended!"

"I'm not yet finished. You will understand soon enough. Roughly two decades after the historical defeat of Grindelwald, the Ministry had only just stabilised. However, it was being and (still is) being run by several old pureblood wizarding families. There was nothing wrong about that; it was the extreme families that caused the problem. They bribed and blackmailed people to get the corrupt and prejudiced laws we have today passed. But, I regress. The law is not what I'm about to discuss. We Unspeakables had only just got our own Department in the Ministry to give the illusion of working under them. However, it wasn't the only reason. We had a special institute for the gifted before the war destroyed our resources. It was where Unspeakables were trained, right from the age of nine. The remaining Unspeakables were unable to rebuild the institute. We still haven't. There are simply not enough funds. For a while we thought it could be possible, but then there was Wizarding War I, the first war with Voldemort. It slowed us down even more, and we lost several of our best agents, including your parents, Mr. Potter"

Harry's mouth dropped open. "They were Aurors!"

The Unspeakable chuckled. "Those were their _official_ jobs Mr. Potter. There are several of us who have cover jobs in the most unlikely places. Speaking of which, I have been ordered to offer you a deal"

"What sort of deal?" asked Ron, speaking for the first time.

The man pulled out a small wooden box and handed it to him. Harry noticed that it had the same symbol as the seal carved into the lid. "We are offering to recruit you!"

All the breath left his lungs. His mind was whirling with possibilities, and he didn't even realise that he and the others had agreed. Then he snapped out of his reverie as the Unspeakable stood up and said, "There are some books and other equipment you will find there. There is also an instruction pamphlet. Simply follow them. You will receive further correspondence through this box. Just put your letters into it and tap the symbol on top and it will appear in the department mail office. It is much more secure to communicate this way. Show it to no one. The book will remain with us for the time being. I must also ask you swear secrecy and magical oaths".

They complied, the resulting rush of magic leaving them breathless. The Unspeakable nodded, apparently satisfied. "I now take your leave. You should receive a letter from the Head tomorrow that explains a lot more than I am authorised to. Good day". And with that, he was gone with a swirl of his cloak and a click of the door and its numerous security spells.

Harry was the first to break the silence. "What just happened?"

Hermione slowly took the box from a shell-shocked Ron and looked at it with her eyes glazed over. "I don't know. I just- don't know".

* * *

**I'm back! Sorry I couldn't update on Thursday, but I updated today! I hope you enjoy the chapter! Please review!**


	12. Suspicions and Observations

**Disclaimer: I'm not JKR.**

**A/N Right, I'm really sorry for not updating on Saturday, as I usually do, but the wifi broke down for five whole days. I know, the world sort of ended. Not really, but it seriously sucked. I literally borrowed like seven books from the school library to keep myself occupied and distracted from the thought that my dad was meeting my teachers... yeah. So before I ramble on further and embarrass myself, here's the new chapter!**

The Unspeakables had their own self-updating history books, detailing just about everything about them from when they were established, where their institute used to be and how they operated. The box Harry and his friends had received contained these books and a whole lot more.

This was what the Unspeakables called 'pre-basic training'. All new recruits had to first go through certain precautions, tests and procedures before starting their actual training. This would take around six months. The actual training would then begin, and that could span any amount of time, from three years to nearly six. There was no real end. You would never stop learning, and apart from that, every year even the fully trained Unspeakables had to go in for a short one or two months 'catching-up' training, where they got up-to date with any modern skills and equipment while working on any weak points they had.

The 'pre-basic' training involved learning Occlumency, working on their fitness, learning history that was far more interesting than what Binns taught, learning how the Ministry worked, who was in power, the law, knowing the structure of the Ministry, St. Mungos, and Hogwarts by heart, finding out any latent or dormant abilities they had, their potential (magical and otherwise) and their animagus forms, among others. Unlike what most people said, most witches and wizards had two or forms which needed to be learned one after the other, if at all. Many powerful witches and wizards could even have three forms! All of the forms would share certain features like colour or special markings. Another fact was that some of the characteristics of your forms would always transfer to your human form.

Another thing that interested the Trio was Magical Theory. Magic had always been there, since the beginning of Time (something even the Unspeakables only vaguely knew about) and it manifested itself in many different forms. It did not depend on incantations and wands and runes. These were needed to control and manipulate it. Wizards used these to focus their magic because it was so wild and uncontrollable. Wandless magic could only be performed if the caster's mind, will and intent were strictly disciplined, organised and strong. This was the reason non-verbal magic was taught only to sixth-years and above.

Magic, the book said, was something humans would never be able to completely understand. It was something far beyond spells and curses. Its threads had to be caught, honed and woven into the fabric of your intent. Runic and inscribed magic were some of the oldest forms of controlled magic there was. While wands directed the magic from a person's own magical core, runes and other written or carved inscriptions derived most of their power from the dormant magic in the Earth's atmosphere. All they needed was a small amount of 'activation magic' from the person writing them, and the rest was history. It was why the wards of old buildings like Hogwarts were so strong. Catalysts, usually gems and precious stones, simply made them even more powerful.

But this was not what the Trio were talking about right now. They were talking about some other rather startling developments 'Zeus' the Head Unspeakable had given them about the Sirius Black case. They were walking along the edge of the Forbidden Forest shortly after Oliver's freak-out over the Hufflepuff team playing instead of Slytherin. Now, normal people would never venture out during such terrible weather especially near such a dangerous forest; in fact, it was against the rules. But the Trio were _not_ considered normal in any way, and as far as anyone else knew, they were at this moment in Charms. After all, no one could be in two places at once. Right?

"Right," said Ron, who was about as bothered by the blowing winds as his friends (which was not at all). "So Black apparently managed to blow up a gas pipe and kill thirteen people (including twelve Muggles) while being in the completely wrong angle and distance to do so and in front of about hundred witnesses, despite being reported as a 'very intelligent' man? Either the Unspeakables have gotten it wrong or Black was just plain barmy even before Azkaban"

"And Zeus is right, it doesn't make sense! They found the charred bodies of the Muggles but all they found of Pettigrew-" Hermione was cut off by a somewhat strained, emotionless voice.

"Was a finger and some tattered pieces of cloth. And there's no trial transcript," said Harry, grimly. Ron and Hermione felt their eyes widen in horror as they stopped in their tracks, just in front of a small rabbit path leading into the Forest.

"WHAT?"

Harry's lips thinned into a pink line, angry green eyes standing out against his pale skin. "Percy found out. He wants to join the DMLE and was going through the trials of Death Eaters. If Black was a captured Death Eater, why isn't his trial there? The only logical explanation is that there wasn't one".

They stood there, contemplating this. Finally, Ron said, "It sounds like something else the Ministry messed up".

The other two let out loud sighs. "_Of course_ it does," cried Hermione, frustrated, her hands clenching into fists. "The damned Ministry! It_ needs _to be fixed, and quickly! _How_ people let Fudge walk all over them- urgh!"

"It's because he's got Malfoy Senior behind him," said Ron bitterly, kicking a stone in front of him. It landed quite far away. "Him and his bloody 'donations'''.

"So doesn't this mean Black might be innocent?" said Harry, slowly, his brows furrowed. The others stared at him. He continued, oblivious. "There's a good chance, I mean especially since we don't know exactly what happened from his point of view. But there's something we're missing here. We need more information"

Hermione nodded. "We can't prove anything until we get- well- proof"

Ron broke in, saying "It's time to go, we've got five minutes, and the dementors are coming this way". And so they were. As they were running, Harry silently told himself to check if there was a way to repel them and possibly teach the students. Maybe they could ask Lupin?

And from the bushes, a large black dog moved silently back into the forest.

* * *

Harry couldn't sleep. This was not uncommon; he had been suffering from insomnia from as long as he could remember, and he was a light sleeper even then. This time however, he felt as though he was up for a reason, if the twisting knot of apprehensive anticipation in his stomach was any indication.

He stood in the shadows, his elbows on the sill of the common room window, looking blankly out into the starless night. The moon was full and it cast an eerie glow over the Forbidden Forest, somehow making it seem far more haunted than before. He watched with a kind of detached fascination as a dark shapes seem to dance under the Whomping Willow. He shook his head. Of all things to be imagining at this time in the night, he had to come up with werewolves and grims? How depressing. Wait... what?

Harry's brows knitted together. He leaned out of the window slightly, squinting his eyes. No, he certainly wasn't dreaming. There _was_ a werewolf there and it appeared to be fighting with- the grim. Why did death seem to follow him about?

He looked again- but the shapes had disappeared. Feeling an uneasy feeling of missing something, something important, he went back to bed.

The next morning, he came downstairs early, the scene he'd witnessed still fresh in his mind. Something, something was connected to this, but he couldn't put his finger on it and he doubted he'd get any rest until he figured out what was going on.

He was so engrossed in his own thoughts that he didn't see Hermione until she wished him good morning. He looked up, distracted, and blinked at her blearily.

"Oh, hi Hermione"

He then relayed what he saw to her. When he finished, she was frowning thoughtfully.

"I think we need to inform Zeus"

Just then, Ron came down the stairs. "Inform Zeus of what?" he yawned loudly. Harry told him.

"There's something fishy going on at Hogwarts," he finished. When Ron just gave him a 'well, duh' look, he shrugged and said, "I'm starving"

* * *

**Lame, I know. Next chapter will be better. This is a sort of filler. I've been running around playing Hermes the messenger to a lot of people so I've been a bit stressed. But anyways, I'm back now, and hopefully I'll update soon. Review!**


	13. Announcement

**Important**

**I'm sorry; I know how it feels when you get an email saying a story is updated, only to find it was an author's note. However I have an announcement to make. I have just finished the first chapter of the founders' memories which were shown to Hogwarts in 'Four births of One Legend'. This story will show their reactions in the chapter following each scene i.e. if I show a battle in one chapter, the next chapter will show how the students reacted to watching it in the future. The story is called 'How we met' and the first chapter is up. Enjoy.**

**Oh, and I'll be updating soon.**

**Maya**


	14. A few ends tied up and a few loosened

**Don't own it.**

Harry Potter was beginning to feel the start of a huge migraine.

It seemed as though he could never have a normal year. The year had passed by in a whirl wind of training, classes and research. Currently, he was in the Shrieking Shack, watching his favourite professor argue the innocence of a mass murderer, alongside said convict.

Great.

The day had started out normally. He had gotten up, taken a run around the lake with his friends, listened to a rant about bigots from Percy, cheered up the twins who had got some map or the other confiscated and had gone to investigate the werewolf problem at the Whomping Willow. That was when everything started going downhill.

A grim like creature had suddenly darted out of the bottom of the Willow and rushed towards Hagrid's hut. Then, it jumped on top of Scabbers. How Scabbers got there, Harry didn't even want to know. Nor did he want to know how Scabbers was in fact Peter Pettigrew. And that he was lying in front of him, practically grovelling at Lupin's feet.

_Lupin was the werewolf._

_Today was the full moon._

Evidently, the thought had entered Hermione too, as she then screamed out, "You! Have you taken the Wolfsbane?" successfully interrupting the three men's tirade.

"E-er erm...," stuttered Lupin, before his eyes widened. "No!"

Immediately, Ron jumped in front of Hermione, blue eyes glinting dangerously. Harry had never seen him like this. "What are you waiting for then?!"

"Stop!" Harry demanded immediately. The situation was getting way out of control. "The full moon still has a while to rise. You three" he gestured with his wand towards them "have a _lot_ to explain".

"How is it," he continued, "that a man supposedly dead has _magically_ sprung up out of nowhere as my best friend's rat?"

"Don't even think about it," Ron growled, jabbing his wand at the pathetic pile of rags when he opened his mouth. "There's no way a man with an Order of Merlin would be hiding as a rat, unless they had a _reason_".

"Of course," said Hermione, suddenly, sounding as if she'd just solved a tricky question. "You're _guilty_, aren't you?"

"M-my dear girl, I- I would n-"

"But then," said Hermione, looking quite feral with triumph, "there's no trial transcript for Mr Black._ Is_ there?" She directed the last question at Black himself, who just shook his head, bemused.

"I was not Secret Keeper. Nor was I responsible for the deaths of those Muggles. It was my innocence that kept me somewhat sane through those years" his eyes darkened "There was no trial. I saw his picture as a rat on your friend's shoulder in the newspaper. _He_ was the betrayer".

The words rang through the room. Then, suddenly, Pettigrew made a leap to escape, only to be placed in a full body bind. They looked up to see the furious face of Severus Snape.

_**Some hours later**_

Amelia Bones pinched the bridge of her nose. She looked at the man who had been a fugitive till a few minutes ago. He calmly stared back at her, the signature stormy grey eyes of the Black family fixed on her face. His hair and beard had been cut and washed, and he was wearing clean grey robes.

"Fudge is still in power, is he?"

"Yes. Managed to turn the whole 'Pettigrew is guilty' thing to his advantage. Blame's on Crouch"

"Hurmph. As it should be. Man took away twelve years of my life" his fists clenched. "Not that anyone else ever did anything about it".

She winced.

"Good day, Amelia"

The silent whoosh of his clothes and the click of her door as it closed behind him were the only sounds in the room for a long time.

* * *

"Hello, Harry"

His godson looked very alike to his late friend. A few more features, and he might have seen him as a second James. Mercifully, this wasn't the case. The boy looked up at him sharply when he came in, and stood up on recognising him.

"Sirius" His voice was calm and had an almost musical undertone to it. His unnaturally pale features hinted at a life spent mostly indoors, and his green eyes looked far too old for his young face. Already his fingers were ready to go for his wand, and his expression gave away nothing.

"I have been freed"

"I know"

A short, awkward silence.

"I have a house"

At this Harry looks up, eyes narrowing and looking at him calculatingly.

"It's not been done up yet, but once it is... would you like to come live with me?"

Harry pursed his lips in a manner not dissimilar to James when given an idea to think over.

"I am an Unspeakable. I have been put in charge of you and your friends' training"

At this, he received a reaction. A sharp intake of breath and the feeling of eyes burning into him confirmed it. A slow smile graced his lips as he idly played with the custom-made wand every Unspeakable had. Ash and the horn of a Hungarian Horntail. 11 inches.

"I don't know you Harry, but I want to. Your childhood leaves much to be desired, like mine, as does your training and etiquette. Remus and I will be happy to assist"

He was rewarded with the feeling of a scarred hand slipping into his.


End file.
